Could YOU Homeschool?
Guess what the main qualification is: it's love for your kids. You CAN do it if you are dedicated to them. You can learn the skills you need gradually, as you need them, the same way you learned mothering skills. Jugglers start this way, first juggling just one item, then two, then later three. And here's another secret: homeschooling can actually be easier than the standard soccer mom routine. Soccer moms are everywhere but home, juggling same-age activities that are different for each kid (unless you have twins). In contrast, when you homeschool, you focus on what you can all do together. In addition, kids in school often have plenty of homework and need help from you in the evening. If you homeschool, you get all that out of the way in the morning, and your evenings are free. If you have a large family, you'll probably want to rely on unit studies. These are studies of large topics, such as ancient Egypt, which can be treated differently for kids of different ages. You can read all of them a novel about ancient Egypt, for instance Mara, Daughter of the Nile. A younger child would write a sentence about it, and an older one a three-page paper with bibliography. The kids can do art projects and learn about measuring the height of pyramids using similar triangles. The unit might last a month or so. There are many available for purchase on the homeschool curriculum market. You will probably want to use workbooks and curriculum to make sure your child is learning what he should be learning for his grade. Homeschool curriculums typically include an answer key, so you don't need to be an expert. Actually, homeschooled kids usually learn directly from the book or workbook, not from a lecture. This reading skill is great for preparing for college. There are also correspondence schools that do all the teaching for you, if your child needs that. You probably wonder what homeschoolers typically do during the course of a day. Many do the studying in the morning, and spend the afternoon playing or doing projects. Sometimes they sign up for daytime classes for homeschoolers, which are becoming more popular these days. You can even send your kids to organized sports with the local school teams in the late afternoon. But be careful about signing up for too much. It could lead to burnout. How about socializing? Staying home all the time may be easier for you, but it may not make your kids happy. You may decide they need to get out and about for socialization. But here's the best part: you get to choose whom your child socializes with. You don't have to worry about bullies. You can make sure that socialization is well-supervised. You can choose adults, too. Homeschooled kids are usually very comfortable talking to adults, unlike schooled kids, I have observed. A homeschool co-op will help you get your kids out and about. You can meet other homeschoolers for classes once a week, or for field trips. Social interactions are well-supervised, so kids learn to act appropriately with one another. Finding a co-op is as simple as asking around. To find other homeschoolers, the local homeschool convention may help you. Network with other homeschoolers till you find the co-op that's right for you, or start it. Lastly, how will you find support? Homeschooling is not for the faint of heart, and it's not for the unsupported parent, either. You will need to find someone to share your challenges with. Many homeschooling parents support each other online. There are plenty of discussion forums attached to homeschooling Web sites, such as at www.welltrainedmind.com . There are plenty of e-mail groups for homeschoolers also. Here's the answer to the homeschooling question: You can do it! -->
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Article by: PhyllisWheeler |
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Word Count: 686 About the AuthorPhyllis Wheeler writes enjoyable computer science curriculums for self-study. Take a look at her free lesson on World Wide Web information searching, the World Wide Web Scavenger Hunt! And see a sampling of articles on homeschooling she has for you.
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